one problem is the conference is too spread out. Pull it closer make it easy and the destinations worth going to.

Another one is branding. We're Conference USA? SO?
No identity except, "We're conference usa". Outside of alumni, students, and fans of conference member schools who gives a crap. Heck, even the Funbelt has better recognition. And before someone wants to add "We got basketball" no one cares. And if you think they do, look at the one slot we get for the NCAA tournament.

This current conference commissioner might as well be walking around with a big purple hat with "Commissioner" on it. Doing just enough to do nothing.

Won't happen, but SunBelt/CUSA dissolution and recreation would certainly be better - 24 teams. Have/let UTEP leave for Mountain West, add James Madison. Split into 2 12-team conferences, 1 on the east coast and 1 in the south. For recruiting, East coast gets FL and South gets TX...

This list is so depressing to someone who saw UAB play games in the same league as Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, etc.

Completely agree! I'd rather join up with an existing, more established, and prestigious conference, but that wasn't mentioned in the article. I was creating a list to be in context of the article, creating a regional conference.
Obviously, I'd rather join the AAC or better. I'd also like to lose 25 pounds, payoff my mortgage 10 years early, grow thicker hair, and make $500k a year.

UAB's profile as a school is rising. Presidents and faculty care about associating with other schools that share commonality in academics, as well as provide exposure for student and faculty recruitment. The Sun Belt doesn't provide 2/3 of that.
The AAC does.

(12-06-2017 10:59 AM)legalblazer Wrote: According to legend, the AAC called Brian Mackin and left a message. Mackin was instructed not to return that call (presumably because there was a plan in motion to end the football program).

No one can confirm or Deny that it happened. I'm in the mindset there is some truth to it.

(12-06-2017 10:37 AM)UABslant Wrote: UAB's profile as a school is rising. Presidents and faculty care about associating with other schools that share commonality in academics, as well as provide exposure for student and faculty recruitment. The Sun Belt doesn't provide 2/3 of that.
The AAC does.

Exactly. We should be aspiring to re-join our historical peers in the AAC. The campus is growing/modernizing, enrollment is growing, becoming less of a commuter school, new athletic facilities, etc. Getting a new stadium is critical though.

We just need to keep winning, keep donating, and going to games. For those of you that made 5 year pledges towards football reinstatement, consider making another pledge to general athletics when that one runs out.